Countrywide strike against Darbar carnage today

LAHORE: The Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) has given a call for a country-wide strike on Saturday against the suicide blasts at Data Darbar, Lahore, on Thursday. This was announced by Allama Syed Shah Turabul Haq at a press conference held at SIC headquarter here on Friday. In this connection a protest demonstration would be held at Old Numaish roundabout. All religious parties belonging to the Barelvi sect has endorsed the strike call given by SIC. Those who supported the call included Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Pakistan Sahibzada Abul Khair, Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman, Sunni Tehreek Haq also demanded immediate removal of Law Minister Punjab Rana Sanaullah for his alleged association and patronizing banned outfit. He also demanded for strict security measures at the shrines of saints adding that culprits of Data Ganj blasts be also arrested. He also demanded of the government to announce official mourning and appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo-moto notice against the evil forces indulged in anti-Barelvi campaigns. ST announces three-day mourning: The Sunni Tehreek (ST) has announced a three-day mourning in memory of the victims of the suicide bombing at Data Darbar, Lahore. On the first day of mourning the ST staged a protest demonstration at main MA Jinnah road on Friday. Addressing a protest gathering, Shakil Qadri announced support for the strike call given by the Sunni Ittehad Council and appealed to all the traders, transporters and other organisations to shut their businesses to demonstrate solidarity with their Muslim brethren. He also demanded of the government to take immediate action against all the Madressah promoting hate material and delivering hate speeches. He also said that the Data Gang bomb blast was just a cog in the chain of the Wana terrorist activities and targeted killing in Sindh. The government, he said, had unfortunately taken no action against all those unleashing a reign of terror in the country. The ST also demanded security for shrines of the city and threatened to take control of the shrines if the government failed to provide foolproof security. Meanwhile, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has decided to observe a peaceful mourning day all over the country on Saturday (July 3) to protest against the suicide attack at Data Darbar in Lahore on Thursday. This was decided at an emergency meeting of the MQM Rabita committee in London and Pakistan. MQM founder Altaf Hussain approved the decision of a peaceful mourning and also appealed to the people to observe a peaceful mourning period. Furthermore, as per decision of the Rabita committee, black flags will be hoisted at buildings, people will wear black bands around their arms and Quran Khawani and fathea will be held for the departed souls who perished in the tragic incident. The MQM coordination committee appealed to people from all walks of life to strongly protest against the suicide attack. Meanwhile, the adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister and PML(F) central leader Imtiaz Ahmed Sheikh has strongly condemned the suicide attack at Data Darbar on Thursday. In a statement issued on Friday, he said that those who committed this suicide attack were antiñstate elements and said the whole nation should expose such elements and they should be arrested and awarded exemplary punishment. He prayed to Almighty Allah to place the departed souls in eternal peace and give courage to the bereaved families to bear this tragic loss.

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Countrywide strike against Darbar carnage today